HOPE BRISBANE CHURCH CONFERENCE
On 28-29 November 2015, Hope Church Brisbane held their annual Church Conference themed “Family”, at Unidus Community Centre. This year’s speakers were our very own Pastor Wilson Lim, Pastor Lai Ling, and Pastor Lance Wolter, in addition to invited guest speakers Pastor Gordon Moore and Pastor Andrew Evans. The focus was on understanding God’s heart for His family and what that means to us to be part of this family. Prior to the commencement of the Church Conference, was the Hope Leaders Conference attended by leaders of the church. Happening concurrently was the Kids Conference themed “Ohana”, which also means family!
The conference kick-started with a vibrant praise and worship session, followed by various speakers bringing the Word of God, focusing on the topic of spiritual family. The first sermon session was conducted by Pastor Wilson, bringing insight to delegates on how “churches connect in a family”. He shared that in the church, unity does not mean uniformity. It means being diversely gifted, yet founded in one God; united as one through a common purpose; multitude yet formed into one body. The first session had already seen the entire congregation inspired and convicted to work together as a family to advance God’s kingdom.
Delegates were then gleefully greeted with a luxurious spread of morning tea, filled with fresh fruits and mouth-watering pastries baked by the talented volunteers. After morning tea, the next session saw Pastor Lance sharing his insight on “what knits spiritual families together”, as well as his different heart-catching real life stories and testimonies of how the people in Africa (where he was doing mission work with his wife) united and helped each other as a family. It was a session filled with laughter with his ever humorous style of preaching. The session was then followed by preaching from our energetically inspirational and down-to-earth guest speaker Pastor Gordon Moore from C3 Church, who shared rich insight on “what makes family great”, inspiring many delegates. Lunch was served and everyone scattered to different areas in Unidus to indulge in their meals and fellowship with each other. Just as everyone was getting tired and restless after lunch, the hosts started the afternoon session with amusing interactive games, bringing laughter to the floor, as well as an interview with our senior pastors Pastor Wilson and Lai Ling, and our guest speaker Pastor Gordon Moore. Pastor Lai Ling then preached her heart on “Dreaming as a family”. It was an inspiring and heart-warming session, as delegates gathered in their respective life groups to seek God together about the dreams and visions that God laid in each heart, to be achieved as a life group.
Dinner time was followed by a long break, again allowing delegates to spend more time with each other. The night started with a powerful praise and worship session, featuring a harmonious orchestra and melodious choir team. The presence of God could be felt so tangibly, touching and impacting lives like never before, as people’s hearts were bowed in a posture of worship and their songs of praise rose to the heavens. It was truly a divine exchange as willing hearts sought to depend more on our Heavenly Father, with different ones deepening their convictions and pledging to love and serve this spiritual family of God. Pastor Gordon Moore inspired the delegates on “what the church can achieve together as a family”.
The children were not left out either! The fun-filled yet inspirational Kids Conference “Ohana” provided children the opportunity to learn about God and His intended family, participate in engaging praise and worship sessions, various team-building activities, games and carnival, making arts and crafts, and so on. It was heart-warming to see the children bonding so well with each other, and so eager to learn about God throughout the conference.
The second day of conference was the usual Sunday service, with Pastor Wilson wrapping up the conference with a sharing on “Ingredients for a thriving spiritual family”, how each of us can contribute and empower each other as part of this universal spiritual family of God. Many hearts were inspired, and lives impacted. The conference concluded with another energetic heart-pumping praise session, with delegates praising the Lord with their whole hearts for what He has done and accomplished, and will continue to do!
The “Family” Conference was truly a blessing to all who were present. Many hearts were inspired to catch God’s heart and learn how to be the kind of family God intended; loving, serving and caring for each other as part of the body of Christ, united in Christ our Lord!
